Preview: UFC Fight Night 232 ‘Allen vs. Craig’

Lightweights

Chase Hooper (12-3-1, 4-3 UFC) vs. Jordan Leavitt (11-2, 4-2 UFC)

ODDS: Hooper (-230), Leavitt (+190)

Like the main event, this fight sees two grappling specialists hopefully come together for a compelling affair. Hooper came to the UFC with a solid bit of hype, as the promotion signed him to a developmental contract when he was just 18 years of age, waiting a year and change until “The Dream” eventually made his promotional debut. However, it has been a rocky path as Hooper has essentially had to learn on the job as a standout grappler trying to figure things out on the feet. Hooper has taken a beating in most of his fights, usually surviving through the durability of youth, but it has been a coinflip as to whether or not he can come back for a win—enough so that he has alternated wins and losses during his entire UFC career. After getting quickly obliterated by Steve Garcia in 2022, the hope was that a move up to lightweight would pay some dividends, particularly after a one-sided decision victory over Nick Fiore at 155 pounds in May. Leavitt is also looking to build some momentum after a standout performance earlier this year, and “The Monkey King” generally finds himself in a similar spot as Hooper. Clearly a submission specialist upon his UFC debut in 2020, Leavitt’s striking has never been quite the same level of a liability as Hooper’s—he has tended to be more of a slow-paced neutralizer on the feet than someone who gets shellacked—but the end effect was the same, with his needing a clear grappling advantage to get a victory over the finish line. A quick and complete win over Victor Martinez in February was something to take note of, as Leavitt appeared to add some impressive clinch striking that allowed him to run through his counterpart in short order. That adds another dimension to what was already an interesting fight in close quarters, as it gives Leavitt a path to victory on the feet. Even so, the read is still that Hooper is the more effective wrestler and grappler, in part thanks to a clear size advantage. Additionally, there is a chance that Hooper is both content and able to stay at range and peck at Leavitt in a striking match that never gets out of first gear. The pick is Hooper via decision.

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Allen vs. Craig
Morales vs. Matthews
Hooper vs. Leavitt
Talbott vs. Aguirre
Ribas vs. Pinheiro
Medic vs. Orolbai
The Prelims